Fastening means for fiberboard and corrugated cartons



Sept. 28, 1954' K. s. DAWSON FASTENING MEANS FOR FIBERBOARD AND CORRUGATED CARTONS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 19, 1950 INVENTOR.

ffsxvwoo'o 6'. DHWSON HTTORNEY Sept. 28, 1954 K. s. DAWSON 2,690,286

FASTENING MEANS FOR FIBERBOARD AND CORRUGATED CARTONS Filed Dec. 19, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN VEN TOR.

KEA/Wooo 5'. DqWso/v j HTTORNEY Patented Sept. 28, 1954 NITED 1 gltsogzss '7 i I .FAswEmnGMI-mns" ronniamnonnminn CORRUGATED CARTONS fienwoo'd@JDawson. southbury,iconm assignurfirtowatazhunyflornugatedflontainer-.Go,,Watc m,' GDnn.,=.aror1mration.ofConneotj nt a KpplicationiDec'emberfH, 1950. .s-e iainozf zvliqso 'This invention rlates "to *a quick closing slip-' locked fastening means for containers, and more particularly-to an-improved'wngueand-slot construction. 'whereby overlapping flaps -"o'f stiff thick material,-such-as plain =01" corrugated' paper-b'oard or 'fiber board, may be rleasably fiastened' together.

One object ofthis invention is to provide a fastening :means of the above mature wherein th'e holding effect will be *pro'vided by re'ason "of. the

fact that the 1 substantially parallelaedge portions of the -'tongue "and the slet *are in direct abntment providing --a klarge bearing area which will minimize deformation oFthe-fasteningmeans unlocked, fcompact, ornamental in appearance, and

With these and other objects in view, there has been illustrated on the accompanying drawings one form in which the invention may conveniently be embodied in practice.

In the drawings,

Fig. 1 represents an oblique top view of a container having the improved fastening means embodied therein.

Fig. 2 is a development view on a smaller scale showin the container in unfolded condition.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary top view showing the fastening means as it would appear when the container flaps are approaching their closed overlapping position.

Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the same taken on the broken line 44 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 3, but showing the tongue bent downwardly in readiness to enter the slot.

Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional view similar to Fig. 4 taken on the broken line 6-6 of Fig. 5.

Fig. '7 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 1-1 of Fig. 1, but on an enlarged scale, show- 1 "1 I Referring now to .the drawings in which like reference numerals denote corresponding parts throughout the several views, the numeral f 0 indicates a 'conta'iner which is e'ut from #2. sheet or thick'stiif material such 'as'corru-galted iiber board so as to-providea rectangular-bottom l l, four=side walls Fz-connected tothe-respective edges of said bottom, ii-pair of sho'rt =oppos'it'e side *fiaps 13, which are adapted to 'ov'erlie the bottom l lf'and a'"pair of relatively long-Eflaps I 4, 45 which are adapt'eddo overlap each other-so as "to *confine sai'd side'fiaps'.

The container *lO may "bemade *fromany-sheet material*whichhas a-subS'tantial degr-ee df stiif ness and thickness, such as plain "or 'corrugateii fiber-board, paper board,"'or chipboard. I

, Thenverlapping ffl apl'5 issocutas toprovide a :centraltongue".I'Bin'the'shape'of a broad T} the stem or base 'of said "T beingintegrallyand swingaloly iconnected'with the' main portion of the flap" T5 "at a 'score line I I locatedmehind and parallel -tofthfe lockin edge *oftsaid tongue.

The remainder of the tongue I 6 :rs "separated from the flap l5imerelyfibya pair "of'angula'r slits f8, 19, 'ofiSet'Trom "said score line fll the 'outer portions Idf said "slits formin 'con'tinua'tion's of the fend-edge ofiithe flap I 5.' Thus, the tongue lG'fcQmpri'ses a'broad stein 20 disposed inwardly ofthe edge of .the flap T5, and 'a1pair;. oI laterally extending'wings'iI,'22which are disposed outside the bOrders of the flap l5 and which are tapered and rounded on their end edges.

In order to receive the tongue I6, the underlapping flap I4 is provided with'a slot 23 in the shape of a broad T, which is so formed as to provide a pair of shoulders 24, '25 substantially equal in extent and position to the inner edges of the wings 2|, 22. A broad notch 26 occurs between the shoulders 24, 25, said notch being of sufficient length and width to accommodate the stem 20 of the tongue l6 when the latter is inserted through the slot 23.

It will be observed that the narrowest dimension of the slot 23 is such as to confine the tongue It with the wings 2|, 22 in edge-to-edge abutting relationship to the shoulders 24, 25 when said tongue is inserted in the slot, as shown in Fig. '7. This action is assisted by providing inwardly curved formations 21, 28 at the opposite ends of the slot 23, as indicated in Fig. 3.

These formations 21, 28 engage the tapered and rounded edges of the wings 2|, 22 of the tongue l6 durin the insertion of said tongue, and serve to compress, guide, and force said wings into looking position with a snap action, so that the rear 3 edges of said Wings will lie in close abutment with the shoulders 24 and 25 of the slot 23.

The greatest dimension of the slot 23 may be made equal to the greatest dimension of the tongue I6, but preferably will be slightly shorter than the corresponding dimension of said tongue, inasmuch as the extreme corners of the wings 2I 22 will yield slightly so. as to permit said wings to come into proper edge-to-edge abutting re1ationship with the shoulders 24, 25.

Thus, it will be seen that the tongue I and the slot 23 furnish a reliable means for fastening together the thick container flaps I4 and I5 with no major deformation or bendin of the parts, excepting at the location of the score line H. However, slight crushing may'occur at the lower corner of the outer edge of the slot 23 due to engagement with the tongue I6, this bein unobjectionable as it permits said tongue to lie more nearly in alignment with the flap I5.

Operation In use, the flaps I4 and I5 may be fastened together by first bending the tongue I6 downwardly as shown in Figs. 5 and 6 and then pressing said flaps downwardly so as to cause the tongue IE to enter the slot 23 until the rear edges of the wings 2I, 22 snap into abutting relationship with the shoulders 24, 25.

When fastened in this manner, the flaps I4, I5 will be securely held together or locked, but may be released whenever desired without damage to the parts, merely by producing a slight relative edgewise movement between the flaps III, I5 so as to cause the wings 2|, 22 to snap out of engagement with the shoulders 24, 25. The flaps may also be pressed toward each other and the tongue lifted out by inserting the users finger under the flap I5 and pulling in an upward direction. Such action in releasing the fastening means will have no injurious effect upon the parts, and the fastening means will retain its efliciency even in the event that it is desired to refasten the container.

While there has been disclosed in this specification one form in which the invention may be embodied, it is to be understood that this form is shown for the purpose of illustration only, and the invention is not to be limited to the specific disclosure, but may be modified and em- 4. bodied in various other forms without departing from its spirit. In short, the invention includes all the modifications and embodiments coming within the scope of the following claim.

Having thus fully described the invention, what is claimed as new, and for which it is desired to secure Letters Patent, is: a

In a box constructed of relatively thick stifi sheetboard material, and having underlying and overlapping flaps, means for fastening said flaps together to form a closure for said box, comprising a T-shaped tongue extending from said overlapping flap, said tongue including a narrow central stem and a pair of lateral wings having their outer ends converging toward the free end of said tongue, said underlying flap having a T-shaped -slot comprising a narrow central portion directed toward the free edge of said underlying flap and adapted to fit about the stem of said tongue, said slot having a pair of lateral wing portions to receive and embrace the lateral wings of said tongue, the edges of the wing portions of said slot being straight and parallel to each other, the edge of said slot opposite the narrow central portion having its extremities converging toward the opposed adjacent edge of the T-shaped slot, the inner edges of said tongue wings being in line with and abutting the free edge of said overlapping flap, said stem terminating in a weakened hinge line offset inwardly from the free edge of said overlapping flap, the rear edges of said wings being adapted to abut the straight outer edges of the wing portions of said, T-shaped slot with a snap action when said tongue is inserted into said slot, and serving to lock said closure without theneed of employing sealing tape.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 886,308 Reynolds Apr. 28, 1908 889,109 Davidson May 26, 1908 2,304,362 Huye Dec. 8, 1942 2,528,256 Tichenor. Oct. 31, 1950 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 355,872 Italy Jan. 19, 1938 

